Resignation gives way to temporary appointment

Just over three weeks since Geauga County Auditor Frank Gliha announced he would resign his post April 3 in the wake of an embezzlement scandal involving the county’s former chief technology officer, county commissioners have appointed a temporary auditor.

According to Geauga Republican Party Chairwoman Nancy McArthur, county commissioners appointed Russell Township Fiscal Officer Charles E. Walder as interim auditor.

Walder, who is on the ballot as a Republican Geauga County auditor candidate for the May 8 primary election, will assume the responsibilities of the office through April 14.

That’s the next time the Geauga County Republican Party’s Central Committee has the opportunity to meet and vote on a longer-term temporary auditor, who will serve in that role until the results of the Nov. 6 general election are certified, McArthur said in an April 3 phone interview.

“The commissioners couldn’t name an interim auditor until after the position was vacant,” she said. “So, once that happened, they made their appointment. Now, the central committee will meet to make a (longer-term) appointment.”

According to McArthur’s news release, candidates who are interested in the temporary appointment made by the Central Committee should send a letter of intent as well as a resume with their experience and qualifications by Tuesday, April 10, to Geauga County GOP, P.O. Box 536, Chardon, OH 44024.

Per the Ohio Revised Code, the Central Committee is required to meet within five to 45 days after the seat is vacant. Therefore, the group has scheduled a special public meeting for 10 a.m. April 14 in the small gymnasium at the Metzenbaum Center in Chester Township. Interested candidates will be given an opportunity to speak before an oral vote is taken.

McArthur said that even if an interested party does not meet the April 10 deadline, he or she may still be heard.

“We have to give everybody and anybody who wants one an opportunity to argue their case for being appointed (interim auditor),” McArthur said. “Anyone who wants to come to the meeting on the 14th and wants to speak to the committee is more than welcome to do so.”

In his March 12 letter to Geauga County commissioners, Gliha announced his plan to resign and confirmed his decision not to seek re-election in the May 8 primary election for the post he’s held for the last nine years.

“It is with great difficulty that I announce I am withdrawing from the upcoming primary election for County Auditor and, pending appointment of my successor, I am submitting my resignation as Auditor of Geauga County,” Gliha’s letter to the commissioners reads. “I have advised the (Board of Elections) that I am withdrawing as a candidate, and asked that they make sure my name not appear on the ballot.”

Gliha’s letter also expresses regret over the Steve Decatur case, in which the former Geauga County IT director is accused of bilking the county of some $1.8 million and laundering it through a Fairlawn-based company — SMCS Tech — which is owned and operated by his daughter, 35-year-old Akron resident Stephanie Stewart. She is also charged in the 334-count indictment announced in January.

Decatur and Gliha authorized a payment of $259,700 to SMCS Tech without a service agreement between November 2016 and September 2017 and then Decatur allegedly deposited the money into his own, personal account, Geauga County Prosecutor James Flaiz confirmed.

Both Decatur, 59, of Chester Township, and Stewart were arraigned Feb. 5 in Geauga County Common Pleas Court in the 334-count case.

Because the ballots for the May 8 primary already had been finalized and printed by the time Gliha announced he would not seek re-election, his name will be on them.

McArthur said any votes that are cast for him will not be counted.

Walder